The Prodigal Knight Returns
by TheBlackJedi123
Summary: (Completed) Post-KOTOR; LS Revan. Revan, along with Bastila, Carth, Canderous, et al. must tackle the new successor to the Dark Lord of the Sith.
1. Part 1

Part 1

In a mere blink of an eye, the light of hyperspace travel was replaced by the eerie black of the starfield, broken only by the light of a nearby star and the glittering of starship hulls. Revan took in the scene with a bland expression, allowing himself to remain perfectly calm as the Ebon Hawk approached the flagship of the fleet; the Silver Dawn.

"This is the Ebon Hawk requesting docking permission." he said softly, his deep voice hardened after so much time without speaking. His only companions on the ship at the moment were Canderous, the Mandalorian Mercenary, and HK-47, who had insisted that he join the Master for some 'gratuitous violence' during his next mission. Both were secure in the cargo area, checking the equipment.

"Cleared, Ebon Hawk. Welcome to Battle fleet Delta." the voice on the other end of the comm line chirped, somewhat cheerfully. Revan could sense the excitement in the operator's voice. The knowledge that the living legend, the Jedi hero himself, had arrived. Without a response, Revan moved the Ebon Hawk through the now open hangar doors and down onto the waiting deck. After a few moments, the atmosphere cleared, and inner entrances opened to reveal a small number that formed a welcoming committee.

Revan strode down the ramp, letting his long brown cloak hang loosely around his body as he approached the first member of the welcoming party. He allowed himself a broad grin as their eyes met.

"It's been a long time, old friend." Carth Onasi said, voice coarser than Revan recalled. It seemed the man had aged quickly after his field promotion to Commodore of a Republic battlegroup. His hair had developed faint touches of grey, and his beard had grown distinctively.  
"It has." Revan answered, taking Carth's outstretched arm and shaking firmly. "I wish we had time to reminisce."

"Time is never kind, is it?" Carth said, then turned slightly. "You should probably meet some of the others you'll be working with. This here is Laani Tevran." Carth indicated the stern-faced man beside him. The human was tall, and extremely well-built; He seemed almost like a hairless Wookie, though his hair was in fact very tightly cropped. "Laani was with the Sith until recently, when he joined the Republic instead. He'll help you get through their security."

Laani stepped forward, gave a very stiff salute, then met Revan's gaze. "I served under Darth Malak. You trained him well, Master Revan." the memories of his apprentice made Revan's mouth tighten as he used a Jedi calming technique to purge the thoughts from his mind.

"Malak...was misguided. He thought the Dark side was stronger, and he was wrong." he responded. Turning back to Carth in an attempt to recover some momentum, he continued, "What about the others?"

"Canderous and HK-47 came with you. The Jedi are in the living quarters. I'm sure you'll find them easily enough." Carth answered. "Okay, people, let's get going. We have a job to do." he called loudly. Laani followed Carth and the others, leaving Revan to make his own way to meet the others. He had a feeling that he would already know at least one of them.

The Silver Dawn's Living quarters were more spacious than the Endar Spire's had been. And they were far larger than the Ebon Hawk's. Revan could not really imagine actually living in such accommodations. Yet, he was more interested in it's occupants at that point in time. A young woman stepped forward, an enthusiasm in her demeanor that was almost off-putting.

"Master Revan! I thought you'd arrived. I'm Saralyin. Saralyin Kell." she bowed slightly. "I've been looking forward to meeting you, in person I mean. You're all the students talk about these days..."

"Saralyin! There is no emotion..." a taller, impassive Twi'lek grunted loudly. He stood arms folded nearby, watching her with a near-glare.

"Yes, sorry, of course, Master Pex." she bowed to both of them and scurried away like a Jawa.

"She is still a mere Padawan. Why the Council allowed her to join this mission I do not understand." the older Jedi scowled slightly.

"We must trust in their wisdom." Revan said. "You must be Joran Pex. I am honoured to meet you." he nodded. The Twi'lek gave a slight shrug of his shoulders, pushing one of his tentacles down from his shoulder and over his robe.

"Master Pex is not as enthusiastic about things as all of us are." a soft voice from nearby commented. Revan turned, already knowing by mere instinct who stood there. Her eyes stared into him like nails, the suppressed emotion forced down by her will. He could feel the slight palpitations within her, mainly thanks to their psychic bond, though she hid it well. Her appearance had barely changed, though she wore the cloak around her like a protective shell.

"Bastila." Revan said, though the words came out as no more than a whisper.  
"It is good to see you again." she shifted, a little uncomfortably. "I could feel you coming." she said. "Can we...talk? Privately?" she glanced at Joran momentarily. He gave a slight grunt of disapproval, but took the hint.

"Saralyin, come. These two need to speak alone." he said, herding the young woman through into the next room before closing the door. Revan could feel Bastila loosen-up just slightly. He felt himself become slightly more comfortable as he joined her near the window to space.

"You've changed." she commented. "Your hair...your thoughts." she understood that the last few months had been difficult, especially with numerous bounty hunters on his tail, as well as being the idol of every up-and-coming Jedi apprentice. She could feel it within him. The closer they were, the more of one another they could mentally sense.

"You'd be surprised how little I have." he answered. "Although I noticed you didn't change your hair." he gave a slight smile as he let his eyes wash over her.  
"We're all capable of change in different ways." she said softly, not meeting his look. "You know that more than anyone."

"I suppose." he said. There was a long pause before Revan spoke again. "I missed you, Bastila. All this time being apart...it was hard."

"And it was hard for me too." she let a hand brush his arm. "But it was for the best. We should not have let it happen."

"It happened, and it wasn't luck that bound us, Bastila. It was the Force." his voice felt dry, though he felt somewhat torn by their shared feelings. It was wrong for Jedi to love in that way. It wasn't permitted. And yet, they'd shared their affections for one another despite all that.

"I know." she whispered. "And it saved us both back on the Star Forge. You saved me from the Dark side."

"You saved me first." he replied, with a slight grin. "Makes us even, doesn't it?"  
"You see it as a joke..." she sighed. "I see it as another failure. We can't let it continue; our feelings will only lead us down that dark path."

"No." he replied. "I know what the dark side is. We have both been there. I promise, Bastila, I won't make the same mistake again. I won't let it."

"I hope you are strong enough for both of us." she replied quietly, leaning into his shoulder with her head. Revan put a hand to her cheek, thought better of letting himself be carried away in the moment, and simply let her rest against him for comfort. 


	2. Part 2

Part 2

The Silver Dawn, at the head of the Republic battlegroup, dropped-out of hyperspace alert and ready for battle. Ahead of them, the Sith warships shifted out of orbital positions to intercept the new arrivals. Battle was joined instantly as the sides opened fire on one another, fighters and capitol ships entering the fray.

On the Silver Dawn's bridge, Revan stood slightly behind Carth as he surveyed the opening engagements. He could feel the tension in the air, the plain efficiency of a team long-drilled for this moment, when they could do their jobs.

"Looks like we caught them by surprise." the Commodore nodded. "We ought to push them back easily enough."

"Don't underestimate Darth Korlan, Carth." Revan replied. "His affinity with the Force makes him a powerful adversary, and I expect he'll have something in mind for this scenario."

"I don't intend to let him. All we need to do is push our forces into orbit and cover you long enough for you to take the strike team in." Carth said, looking back at him.

"Sir! We've punched through the centre of their line. The Sith are pulling back to regroup near the planet." a junior officer reported. Carth nodded.

"Onward, then." he said. "You'd better get ready. Good luck, buddy." he added to Revan.

"The Force will be with us." the Jedi answered.

"I suppose I can count on that. Good luck all the same. Give Darth Korlan hell for me." Carth nodded. Revan bowed his head slightly, before turning and starting off the bridge.

Canderous, with the help of Laani, had finished loading the Ebon Hawk before the ships had dropped out of hyperspace, and were making their final preparations when Revan arrived. Bastila waited at the bottom of the ramp, with Saralyin, who perked-up at Revan's approach.

"Is it time?" she asked, her voice suddenly high-pitched.

"Yes. The fleet is nearing orbit." he answered, letting them board before him, and meeting Bastila's fleeting glance. He put the feelings to one side; he didn't need the distraction when about to face the challenge that Korlan had prepared.

"You set?" Canderous' rough-edged voice queried. Revan straightened.

"I am ready for whatever destiny awaits us. Are you?" he asked.

"I'm ready to follow the Hero of the Mandalorian wars into battle anytime, anywhere." the large man answered gruffly. "Time to take care of some Sith, I think." he smirked. Nodding with a slight smile, Revan joined him on the Ebon Hawk, and led the way to the cockpit, where Bastila sat in the pilot's seat.

"What are you doing?" Revan asked.

"Preparing for launch. The engines are on pre-heat." she answered. He swivelled her chair.

"You're not flying the ship, Bastila. We need your Battle Meditation to get past the Sith. You can't do both." he replied.

"He's right. You need to get us through." Pex agreed from behind him. Reluctantly, Bastila rose and slipped past Revan towards the main section of the Ebon Hawk. "I sense that you are dwelling on past thoughts, Revan. I hope that you are not distracted by Bastila's presence." the Twi'lek noted.

"I am a servant of the Jedi Council, Master Pex. I do what they tell me to do." Revan answered, pushing the controls that lifted the Ebon Hawk off the deck. "Nothing more." with a slight flourish, he punched the engines and took the ship into space.

Rakatas, as the planet had been dubbed, had changed since Revan had last been there. The 'Unknown world' that had been the site of the descendants of the Rakatan people, the builders of the Star Forge, had been converted from a lush land into a fortress-like planet by Korlan's Sith. The temple that had once housed the disruption field was now the headquarters of the Sith Lord's operation. Little other evidence of Rakatan civilization had survived their eventual invasion.

"We're coming in on the beach. Prepare yourselves." Revan said into the comm unit as he brought the Ebon Hawk in to land on the golden sand, a familiar landing site, where the Ebon Hawk had once before crash-landed. "Ramp down. Canderous, HK, Pex, secure our position." he added, before standing and drawing the twin-bladed lightsaber that hung at his belt, mentally preparing himself for the veritable gauntlet of trials that lay ahead.

"We're down. Took care of a minor patrol, nothing else out here." Canderous noted over the comm. Revan stepped through into the Ebon Hawk's main area, where Bastila had just started to stand after the exertion of her Battle Meditation.

"Ready?" Revan asked. She gave a short nod, though said nothing. "Then we should go."

The trio outside had taken up their own positions ready for the attack, and only Saralyin shifted as Revan and Bastila strode down the ramp.

"The area is clean, Master Revan." she said perkily.

"Statement: You should not remain here long, Master. Doubtless Darth Korlan has detected our arrival and is deploying troops to our location." HK-47 intoned.

"Agreed. We should head for the temple before they can get here." Bastila nodded.

"Very well. HK, I think you can provide a warm enough welcome for them when they arrive."

"Statement: With great pleasure, Master. I shall enjoy this assignment..." the combat droid hefted the disruptor rifle in one hand, and tapped one of the auto-firing blaster cannons Canderous and Laani had set up, with a vague display of excitement.

"Everyone else, the temple is at the top of this hill trail." Revan announced. "Move out." he paused as the group passed him, though Saralyin elected to wait and loiter at his side. He looked at her blandly.

"You seem so strong with the Force in person." she said, gazing up at him with worshipful eyes. "It's amazing."

"I am merely a man, young Padawan. I am no more or less than any other." he replied thoughtfully. He hadn't liked the praise and adoration at all since the events at the Star Forge. It made him uncomfortable, especially when he thought about the damage and destruction he had caused on his dark path.

"I know, but...I wish the Force was as strong with me. Joran Pex is a great Master, but he doesn't have time for me nearly as much as I'd want." she said, her footsteps almost a skipping motion.

"Master Pex is a Jedi." Revan replied. "He follows the Code, as he should. He may not seem as though he has time for you, but you will find that at times he is testing you. A Jedi must have, above all else, patience. Remember the Code, but also understand it, and what it means."

"I...I think I understand." she replied, uncertainly. Revan knew she had little idea what he was talking about, though the advice made sense to him. He gave a faint smile as they approached the brow of the hill. 


	3. Part 3

Part 3

Revan's lightsaber cut through the Sith trooper's armour like a knife through butter; the Jedi showing little emotion as he cut the soldier down and twirled the saber to deflect a trio of blaster bolts. Beside him, Laani was firing on the gun emplacements that were a new addition to the Temple's structure, Canderous knelt with his Repeating Blaster, laying down a deadly barrage of fire just on Revan's other side. Nearby, the Jedi engaged Dark Jedi in a close-fought struggle. Adrenaline coursed through him as he matched sabers with a black-clad Jedi, deflecting the foe's red-coloured energy sword almost on instinct, before slashing upwards in a deadly finishing strike. He held the pose for nearly a second as the Sith fell.  
"This is taking too long." Canderous growled. "They'll have reinforcements here in minutes"  
"I concur!" Laani added, taking cover from the heavy fire of the turrets.  
"We must press on if we're to get to Korlan." Revan answered, pushing forward. He could feel the disturbance in the Force before it happened; the approach of something new and different. His eyes moved instantly to the Temple's entrance, where the shimmering energy field that surrounded it began to fade. "Korlan..." he muttered, glancing towards Bastila and the other Jedi. They could feel it too. From the shadowy entranceway, a cluster of figures appeared, wearing Dark Jedi robes, and led by a sinister-looking silhouette of a man. His face was shrouded, but Revan knew who he was simply by the way the Dark Side shrouded him. Darth Korlan himself was coming to face them.  
"This isn't good..." Canderous muttered. "I have a very bad feeling about this one, Revan"  
"Me too." Revan muttered, moving clear of the two men and forward to meet the Sith Lord. Korlan's hood lifted slightly, casting a little light on his pale-skinned face.  
"Lord Revan. I am honoured to finally meet you. The famed Dark Lord of the Sith himself"  
"I am not that Revan any more, Darth Korlan. I am a servant of the light now." Revan answered slowly, not backing down. Unlike others, he was not afraid of the Dark Side of the Force; Unlike others, he knew firsthand that it was not stronger at all, no matter how easy.  
"As I well know." Korlan sneered. "You were a fool, and your apprentice was weak. Only I have the power to crush the Republic. I am not as misguided as you were." he glared slightly, revealing the pale, yellowing eyes that were a trademark of a man consumed by evil. Revan stared unflinchingly ahead.  
"I've heard many say that. Few understand the true nature of the Force, Korlan. It is not too late for you to change that. I was saved, just as you can be"  
"Saved? Is that what you call the shedding of all that was great about you? Ha!" Korlan spat the words, eyeing Revan with bitter disdain. "I have come to find that the Force is my weapon against the self-righteous Jedi Council, and the likes of you. Now you will witness the true nature of what it means to bear the title of Sith Lord." he raised his hands, a lightsaber in each. "Now, Revan, I will destroy you as an example of my power to all who would oppose the might of the Sith." the two weapons ignited with a hiss of energy, their wielder twirling them with a deft speed and skill that any normal man would have found impossible to achieve. Revan waited, silently drawing on the Force and giving Korlan a pitied look.  
"Then I am afraid that I will have to stop you." he answered, lifting his own saber in readiness for the duel.  
"Not alone!" Saralyin jumped forward, her yellow-tinted lightsaber held high. "A Jedi Knight is never alone, Master Revan!" she called out defiantly.  
"Get back, Padawan! This is not your fight." Pex warned, though his apprentice was oblivious to his protests. In a moment of what Revan saw as overexcitement, the young woman lunged forward wildly. Korlan, however, was not as easy a foe to overcome as his minions. With a seemingly effortless twist, he whipped the two crimson blades in perfect unison, deflecting Saralyin's charge and driving one of them into her body. A deathly silence descended on the assembled, as the young Jedi apprentice suddenly became very still, then staggered backwards into Revan's grasp. Her eyes watered as she stared upward, into his face.  
"I...wanted to be...like you..." she gasped, struggling for air. "I understand...now"  
"There is no need to fear or feel sorry, Saralyin Kell. You are a Jedi." he responded quietly.  
"Thank you...Master..." she whispered, before her head rolled back and sounds of breathing faded. Revan laid her down on the ground, before slowly rising and fixing his eyes on Korlan.  
"Really, Revan. You should keep better control of your students." the Sith looked at the others in Revan's party. "Whom else should I let you witness die? Perhaps...an old friend...?" he leered at Bastila, who straightened slightly.  
"I am not afraid of you, Darth Korlan. Perhaps you take pleasure from murdering young Jedi, but you will find that we are stronger than you think." Bastila answered. Revan could feel in her heart that Bastila was indeed concerned, despite her outer strength.  
"I will not let you get that close." he said aloud. "I will see to it that you do not harm another living soul." he lifted his lightsaber, ready for the challenge.  
"Finally. All that talking was making me sick." Canderous grunted. Korlan gave a sneer, raising his own energy blades ready to counter Revan's. Simultaneously, the Dark Lord's cohorts ignited their own. Revan looked at the line of crimson lightsabers, a short wave of doubt hitting him. He'd faced these kinds of odds before, but he wasn't so sure this time; these appeared to be Korlan's elite Sith bodyguards, not just run-of-the-mill Dark Jedi.  
"Scared, Revan?" Korlan goaded, a trait stereotypical of Sith Lords. Revan held his saber ready, unflinching.  
"There is no emotion. There is peace." he answered calmly. Korlan stepped back as two of his allies lunged. Revan twirled his saber expertly, deflecting both skilfully, managing to cut through one and slay him instantly before the other dodged back. Bastila, sensing Revan's need for backup, closed the gap between them, moving closer to him.  
"No emotion? Your feelings betray you both. I can see your bond has had...repercussions..." Korlan indicated, his voice haunting and cold, as he turned to his allies. "Take Bastila alive...her Battle Meditation could prove useful." Revan tensed a little. Obviously his control wasn't enough to prevent Korlan reading him and his feelings for Bastila. Perhaps she had been right; perhaps such feelings were dangerous.  
"You touch her, Korlan, and I'll kill you myself." Revan growled. His darker thoughts were pushing to be released. They willed him to unleash a Force Storm on this usurper to the role of Dark Lord.  
"He won't get the chance. I'll never turn to the Dark Side. Not again." she added. They glanced at one another, reassured by their mutual love.  
"How remarkable. The Jedi Council's best...blinded by love. I thought they taught you that it was wrong at the Academy?" Korlan smirked, waving his arm. "Get them"  
Revan drove forward, locking sabers with the Dark Lord and matching flurry after flurry with his twin-bladed lightsaber, pushing hard. He could feel Pex reinforcing the group through the Force, drawing on it's strength to empower the rest of them with added might. Revan's determined stare met the paling yellow pupils of his apprentice's successor. A shrill cry nearby distracted him, though he managed to remain alert enough to parry Korlan's sudden attack and withdraw. Bastila knelt, her lightsaber fallen nearby, a Sith lightsaber held close to her neck. Canderous stood, aiming his blaster at the culprit, but Revan held up an arm. He didn't want anything to happen to her. Korlan laughed loudly.  
"So, Revan, now we see why love is a weakness...I see it, and the Jedi see it. You, however, are held-back from greatness because of it." he looked back to his minions. "Take her into my Temple...Follow if you dare, Revan. My men will not stop you, should you come alone. I'm sure you know the way..." he signalled, and Bastila was grabbed roughly, and dragged up to the Temple entrance. Canderous and Pex pushed forward to stop Revan from following immediately.  
"No. Don't go rushing in there; that's what he wants." the Mandalorian urged.  
"Indeed. Patience, Master Revan. A Jedi has patience..." Pex added. Revan took several breaths, again repeating the Jedi Code in his mind as he helplessly let Bastila be taken away. 


	4. Part 4

Part 4

Despite promising not to hinder Revan's entry to the Temple, Korlan had not said anything about the Ebon Hawk or it's crew. He should have anticipated, therefore, the Sith battalion that had taken up positions to assault the ship. As Canderous, Laani and HK manned the defences, Pex carried Saralyin's body and laid it down at the bottom of the Ebon Hawk's ramp.

"I'm going to face him." Revan said quietly, trying not to look at the corpse.

"I will come with you. Let me get a stealth-field belt." Pex replied.

"No. Alone, Master Pex. He will know you are with me." Revan said. "I need you here in case he sends Dark Jedi to attack." he met the Twi'lek's cold stare. The Jedi was suffering, he knew. It was a dangerous state to be in, to lose one's pupil. "Trust me."

"Very well, Master Revan..." the Jedi scowled slightly, and moved to cover Saralyin's body. Revan turned and carefully strode up the beach and slope beyond, ignoring the leering eyes of Sith troopers as he headed for the Temple.

The Rakatan Temple was not vastly different from the previous instance in which the Sith had occupied it, under Malak's dominion. The cold, grey-coloured walls were as lifeless and sinister as they had been when Revan had entered with Jolee Bindo and Juhani. Part of him wished they were still with him, but his conscious mind put aside those thoughts and forced him to concentrate on the moment, and on the living Force. The way to the Temple roof had been unaltered, and he simply climbed the ramp and walked out into the open air once again.

The first thing Revan noted was Bastila's motionless form, strapped into the cage at the far end, where once her fighter had landed. This was where he had confronted her before. When she had fallen, and he had tried to convince her to see the light again.

"Master Revan. I knew you would come." Korlan moved into the archway, blocking Revan's view.

"Of course you did. And you know also that I am walking out of here with Bastila."

"Over my dead body..." Korlan sneered.

"That's the plan." Revan echoed the words once uttered by Calo Nord, before he'd been slain.

"So, this is what it comes down to, Revan? A duel, as always?"

"As always. And the light will once again cast out the dark shroud." Revan answered, moving forward, into the full sunlight. "I will defeat you, and stop the Sith for good."

"Not when I have dear Bastila in my hands. You won't touch me if you know that it means her death. Could you make that choice, Revan? If I die, so does she..." the threat echoed from the marble archway, hitting at Revan's heart like a dagger. "I can see into your heart, Revan. I can see that you love her. You wouldn't let her die."

"Enough talk, Korlan! Face me now!" Revan ignited his lightsaber, but didn't move it from waist-height.

"Anger...yes, let it flow through you." Korlan closed his eyes, feeling the backwash of hatred building in Revan's thoughts. "Your rage makes you powerful, Revan. It is no wonder you held the title of Sith Lord for so long..."

"Shut up!" Revan called out, gritting teeth and glaring. He was becoming angry, he knew, but he couldn't help it. With what he felt for Bastila, he just couldn't leave her in Korlan's hands. He needed to save her. "You're a dead man, Korlan!"

"That's right. You want to kill me. Your thirst for blood is admirable...perhaps even more than mine." the Sith Lord let out a low, menacing chuckle. "Let it flow like a fountain of hatred!"

"Fight me!" Revan called, moving forward and bringing his lightsaber up. "Coward!" his skin crawled with unblocked loathing for the Dark Lord in front of him. He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck prickle, and his fingers tingle with the raw dark energy that would lead to a Force Storm powerful enough to incapacitate even the strongest Jedi. His unblinking stare was like a death-gaze.

"Revan..." the voice was soft; not Korlan's. Bastila looked up from where she hung in the cage that enclosed her. "Stop...your anger..."

"I am going to kill him, Bastila, for all the death he's caused...for all the lives he has taken..." he pointed the tip of his blade to Korlan's throat, "starting with Saralyin Kell."

"Wait...listen to me." her voice was weak, but behind it, Revan could feel the determination that he had often admired about her. "Remember...remember what you said to me. Remember the promise you made; the promise we both made."

"Not to fall..." Revan whispered. "I remember."

"Silence, woman..." Korlan growled. "Your life is in my hands, now. You will turn, just as Revan will shortly. If he strikes me down in anger, which he will..."

"Then you will win. Do you hear, Revan? He wants you to turn. Listen to my voice. Darth Korlan wants you to become angry, and hateful." she urged.

"Anger...leads to hate..." Revan hesitated.

"Yes!" Bastila implored.

"Hate leads to suffering..." he looked up at Korlan. "No! I will not let you trick me, Korlan. Release Bastila now!"

Korlan could see that allowing Bastila to speak had been a bad idea. He glared at the defiant Jedi Knight before him. Fury swelled in his heart. He'd been wrong to attempt to lead them both to darkness; he should have known better than to put his faith in their bond pulling them into darkness. Instead, it had meant that they had resisted.

"Fools...both of you." he scowled.

"You won't win, Korlan. Give it up, and the Jedi Council will be lenient." Bastila said. Letting out a growl, Korlan snapped. Lifting his arm in her direction, he shouted,

"Never!" bolts of electrical energy lanced out from his fingertips, the dark energy reaching for Bastila's limp body. Before the lightning could reach the cage, however, it was deflected by a spinning dual-bladed lightsaber, hurled with the power of the Force by Revan. It's two energy blades absorbed the full brunt of the Dark Lord's power. Korlan turned to glare at the Jedi, before lifting his other hand and unleashing a fresh barrage. It slammed into Revan's body, racking him instantly with pain. He flopped back against the stone walls of the Temple roof-courtyard, quivering from the blast.

"Revan!" Bastila called, feeling glimpses of pain through their bond.

"Now you know that you cannot defeat a true Sith Lord!" Korlan goaded, igniting his twin sabers. "And now I will slay you, as an example to the Jedi that would dare cross me..." he towered over Revan's weakened form. Drawing on all of the Force he could muster, Revan reached his hand out, straight at Korlan's chest. He was unmoved, and simply laughed. "You really are weak. I didn't even feel it!" before he could speak further, Revan's lightsaber flew through the air, punching through Korlan's back, and stopping in Revan's hand. Korlan blinked, feeling the hole in his torso as his two energy swords fell to the ground, and coming to the realisation that Revan had Force _pulled_ rather than pushed.

"The Dark Side is not stronger, Korlan. It just lets you think it is." Revan whispered, as the Dark Lord collapsed. Revan rose, then moved quickly to release Bastila and embrace her.

"You did it...I knew you would." she whispered.

"Liar." he smiled slightly. She returned his grin with one of her own.

"Revan, I..." she started, but Revan's finger touched her lips.

"I know." he whispered, leaning forward and kissing her. "I felt it within you. I knew that despite the fact that it was forbidden, you were willing to admit it. That was what brought me back."

"I don't understand." she blinked, her arms draped around his shoulders.

"I love you too, Bastila. I trusted you, and you showed me the path." taking her hand, he started towards the exit. "It's time to go back to the Jedi Council and tell them the truth."

END


End file.
